I won’t keep you in suspense about Thanksgiving travel, because you have tickets to buy!

The worst days to fly:

• Tuesday, Nov. 20
• Wednesday, Nov. 21
• Sunday, Nov. 25

And yes, these are the worst because this is when most of us want to fly. They are also the days when those of us who are tied to school or work schedules have to fly because they’re the only vacation days we’ll get. And as anyone who follows airfare prices knows, heavy demand equals expensive flights.

All is not lost though. Simply fly different days, and we give you a choice of cheaper departure dates. The trick is looking at days outside the most popular itineraries and – in some cases – selling yourself on the idea of taking a shorter turkey break. Here are a couple examples; prices were found on my site just this week (but of course are subject to change).

Yes, Turkey Day itself. Actually, it may not be the very cheapest day to fly for every single itinerary but it’s true for most of them. If you’re game to do this, compare and see for yourself. Fly early in the morning and you won’t miss the celebration. Some examples from the fares above:

Boston-Milwaukee (connecting flights on United)

• $363: Thursday-Saturday (Alaska)
• $245: Thursday-Monday (JetBlue)

Los Angeles-New York (non-stops)

• $529: Thursday-Saturday (Alaska)
• $416: Thursday-Monday (JetBlue)

One last thing to consider before you finish up your shopping: Some fares are basic economy prices which may not include any free bags. Check to see what you will and won’t get (and airlines are increasingly upfront about fees), and factor this in for the final price. Tip: If you will fly at Thanksgiving and don’t have tickets yet, it’s time to book. Now.